


Stuck in Love

by sunflowerfactory



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, MakoRei, free! iwatobi swim club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-18
Updated: 2014-06-18
Packaged: 2018-02-05 03:04:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1803016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowerfactory/pseuds/sunflowerfactory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A MakoRei college AU in which Makoto is a flirty butthead and Rei is a dork. They're all dorks. Everyone is a dork. (Pssst- this is just a oneshot that is incredibly short and therefore I am deeply sorry.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stuck in Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hullo! This is my first AO3 work, but I actually wrote this in January (??) for a friend -- here's a link to the entire thrilling saga.  
> http://avengingserenity.tumblr.com/post/89107534738/makorei-college-au-go  
> Said friend is on AO3 as well!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ikaripoid

Makoto readjusted his bag strap as he strolled leisurely to his favorite spot on the entire campus: the right rear corner of the library. As he approached the most wonderful spot in the world, he noticed a stranger sitting in his seat — a beautiful young man with blue hair and red glasses, reading a book on advanced quantum mechanics. Makoto knew he couldn’t just ask the boy to leave (and besides, the boy was extremely attractive), so he slipped into the chair next to him and, pulling out the same book, asked, “Excuse me, but I was hoping you could help me understand chapter 7. I’m Makoto, by the way. And you?”

~~~~~~~

Three Months~

Makoto

The entire crowd erupted into cheers as Rei sprinted over the finish line, simultaneously winning the men’s college track nationals and setting a record time. Makoto glanced over at Haru and Nagisa sitting next to him, the former clapping with a deadpan expression, the latter jumping up and down, his tie slapping his face every few seconds. 

"Rei’s sooo fast! Say, Makoto, it looks like we can go onto the field now if we want to!" Nagisa grabbed Makoto’s hand and began zipping down the bleachers at the speed of light. Haru was dragged along as well, and withing a few minutes the three of them were standing with Rei among a crowd of others.

Rei blinked in surprise as his friends congratulated him on his win. “I-It’s nothing, really… I just ran like you told me to… say, where’s Rin?” 

Haru responded (still deadpan), “He’s stuck in Melbourne. His flight was delayed due to bad weather.”

Makoto smiled as Nagisa tried to make Rei eat one of the hotdogs he’d bought at the concessions stand. His mind jumped to just a few months before, when all he’d known about the runner standing before him was that he liked math and reading in quiet places. Now he knew that Rei liked running and studying English and sailing.

And then it hit him.

Makoto gave a small gasp as he realized what he’d been blind to all this time. How could I have been so stupid?, he thought. It had been so obvious that he hadn’t even noticed it.

—

Rei

All Rei could hear was the roar of blood and the wind in his ears. As he tore across the white line and the flag waved furiously just behind him, he let out a huge gasp and collapsed. Rei was instantly dragged upright by several smiling men with cameras and notepads, who began bombarding him with questions. Someone shouted, “Give the guy some room!”, and a space cleared around Rei.

"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!"

The air wooshed from his stomach as a small child slammed into him. It was only as he pulled the boy from him that he realized it was not a child, nor was he small (though he was very short). “Nagisa?!”

Rei’s head whirled as Nagisa began jabbering about how fast he was and how they should all go out for melon and that Haru should pay because he needed melon and somehow needing something would justify paying for four portions of it.

It was only when Nagisa mentioned four portions that Rei realized that someone was missing. “…Say, where’s Rin?”

Haru, as deadpan as ever, replied with a simple “He’s stuck in Melbourne. His flight was delayed due to bad weather.”

"That’s okay, Rei! Eat this meat popsicle in his memory!!"

"Nagisa, that’s a hotdog!"

As Nagisa began ranting about how it should be called a meat popsicle and not a hotdog, Rei glanced over at Makoto. He was startled to find the young man gazing absently at him. Perfect Makoto, with his smarts and beautiful swimming style. It almost seemed like Makoto never noticed Rei the way he wanted him to, but I suppose one day he might, Rei thought.

Rei gave a small jump as Makoto gasped, but the boy went right back into thought, though he was still staring at Rei. He thought Makoto’s expression seemed… softer?

~~~~~~~

Seven Months~

Makoto

"The window’s open and I’m cold but I don’t want to get up…" Rei mumbled as he dozed, head in Makoto’s lap.

"Well, I can’t get up if you don’t want to move, you know. But if you’re cold I can do something about it." Makoto leaned over his boyfriend’s face, smiled, and…

…pulled a blanket over him.

Rei scowled as he pulled it up around his chin. “The window’s still open — won’t you get cold?”

"I’m not going to move, remember? Besides, I’m warm enough as is."

Makoto leaned back on the couch, fingers trailing through Rei’s hair. His eyes traveled around the messy apartment the two had gotten a week before, marveling at how, in just two months, the two would be graduating from college. Makoto would get a small, part-time job, and Rei would begin training for the Olympics, to which he had been invited. The Olympics… “Rei, are you nervous about competing?”

"Hm? No, I don’t think I am. I will be nervous about graduation, though.”

Makoto smiled as he leaned forward. “We’ll all be nervous at graduation. Don’t worry.”

And he kissed him.

—

Rei

Rei shivered as a draft wafted over him. "The window’s open and I’m cold but I don’t want to get up…", he mumbled, half asleep. He felt Makoto shift as he laughed.

"Well, I can’t get up if you don’t want to move, you know. But if you’re cold I can do something about it." 

Rei’s heart began to beat faster as those green eyes came closer and closer…

…and then a blanket fell on him.

Rei scowled, a little sad that it had not come with something else. He pulled the blanket around his chin and asked, "The window’s still open — won’t you get cold?"

Makoto smiled. "I’m not going to move, remember? Besides, I’m warm enough as is." Makoto leaned back on the couch, and as he did so, his fingers began to play with Rei’s hair.

Rei closed his eyes and smiled. Here he was, with a wonderful boyfriend, a new apartment, and an invitation to compete at the Olympics. The Olympics… what a place to be! It will be beautiful, I’m sure. Just like —

"Rei, are you nervous about competing?"

Makoto’s question jolted Rei out of his reverie. It took him a moment to formulate a response. "Hm? No, I don’t think I am. I will be nervous about graduation, though.”

Graduation…

Rei felt his boyfriend shift as he leaned forward again. "We’ll all be nervous at graduation. Don’t worry."

And he kissed him.

~~~~~~~

Nine Months~

"Makoto Tachibana!"

Makoto stepped up to the Dean and accepted his diploma, tucking the portfolio under his arm as he turned to his classmates and smiled before stepping off the podium. As soon as the next name was called, he plunged his hand into the deep pockets of his gown and pulled out a small, purple box.

No turning back. No turning back.

"Rei Ryugazaki!"

The fateful name was called a few minutes later, and Makoto smiled as Rei stepped down to where he nervously stood. Well, I guess there’s no turning back now, his brain chirped cheerfully.

Makoto stepped forward and opened his mouth, just as Rei did the same. The two stopped and smiled sheepishly at each other.

"Well, since we’ve both got something to say, should we… say it at the same time?" Makoto bit his lip as he gazed at Rei.

Rei nodded and took a deep breath as he plunged his hand into his gown, gripping the green box tightly.

"One… two… three!"

They both shut their eyes tightly and did as they had rehearsed, nervously, quietly, hoping they would not screw up their one chance. When they opened their eyes at the same time, they each saw the same thing.

Both were kneeling down on one knee, open box in one hand, the same question hanging on their lips.

it took a moment, but they both realized what had happened. Rei leapt up and cupped Makoto’s face in his hands before leaning down to kiss him.

"You wonderful, silly idiot…"

**Author's Note:**

> Hullo! This is my first AO3 work, but I actually wrote this in January (??) for a friend -- here's a link to the entire thrilling saga.  
> http://avengingserenity.tumblr.com/post/89107534738/makorei-college-au-go  
> Said friend is on AO3 as well!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ikaripoid
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
